Discharge orifices



May 16, 1967 w. R. CUSTER 3,319,652

DISCHARGE ORIFICES Filed Jan. 24, 1964 INVENT OR WILLARD R. GUSTER BY RMM ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,319,552 Patented May 16, 1967 3,319,652 DISCHARGE ORIFICES Willard R. Custer, Hagerstown, Md., assignor to Custer Channel Wing Corporation, Hagerstown, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed Jan. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 339,966 Claims. (Cl. 137-50) This invention relates to a device for facilitating the discharge of fluids through a container discharge orifice by deflecting certain of the radial pressures on the fluid adjacent said orifice which would otherwise restrict the discharge through the latter. More particularly, the invention consists in new and useful improvements in a pressure compensating device for the discharge orifice of a fluid containing chamber comprising a substantially tubular discharge element terminating at one end in a pressure deflecting channel directed inwardly in said chamber from said orifice.

In fluid containing chambers having a discharge orifice in one wall thereof, certain conflicting pressures are exerted in radial directions toward the axis of the orifice, thereby restricting the flow of fluid through the orifice. This is true whether the fluids are under superatmospheric pressure in the chamber or are simply subjected to atmospheric pressure wherein the weight of the fluid exerts these conflicting radial pressures.

I have found that by deflecting the radial pressures on the fluid adjacent the orifice in certain directions, this restriction is minimized so that the discharge flow of fluid through the orifice is increased from 150% in volume over the fluid normally discharged through an orifice not equipped with such means.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a pressure compensating device which may be readily inserted in conventional discharge orifices to overcome the disadvantages of restrictive pressures adjacent the orifice.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is very simple in construction and consists essentially of a discharge tube insertable in the discharge orifice of a fluid containing chamber and terminating at its inner end in a pressure compensating channel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pressure compensating device which may be employed in various types of chambers, such, for example, as those embodied in plumbing systems, fuel storage systems, or rocket exhaust systems, where it is desirable to minimize interference with the discharge of the contained liquids or gases.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features herein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic view for purposes of comparison, illustrating a conventional discharge tube and chamber, not equipped with the pressure compensating device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of a chamber with the pressure compensating device installed in its discharge orifice;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the pressure compensating device;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view thereof; and

FIG. 5 illustrates an adaptation of the invention in connection with a rocket orifice.

At the outset, reference is made to FIG. 1 of the drawings which illustrates a conventional fluid containing tank or chamber and the restrictive pressures normally encountered at the discharge orifice. In this figure, the tank is generally represented by the numeral 5 and is provided with a conventional discharge orifice 6 in one wall thereof. Under normal conditions, whether the fluid in the tank 5 is under superatmospheric pressure or atmospheric pressure, certain opposing radial pressure forces a and. b are directed toward the axis of the orifice 6, either by the pressure of the fluid in the chamber or the weight of the volume of fluid therein. It will be apparent that these converging pressure forces tend to restrict the flow of fluid in the direction 0 of the axis of the orifice with the result that the volume of fluid discharged in a given period of time is materially restricted.

Turning now to FIGS. 2-4, the device of the present invention consists of a discharge tube 7 terminating at one end in an open-ended channel portion 8, the upper area 9 thereof providing a fluid-receiving mouth which is contiguous with the open end of the channel. The end of the tube '7 adjacent the channel is threaded as at 10 for engagement with complementary threads provided in the orifice 6 of the chamber or container 5.

FIG. 2 shows this tube 7 installed in the orifice 6 in the wall of container 5, and here it will be seen that the channel portion 8 is of a length at least 50% of the diameter of the orifice 6 and that the arc of the channel is at least 50% of the circumference of the tube 7. Thus, the open end of the channel 8 and the cut-out upper portion 9 thereof jointly provide an open discharge area considerably greater than that of the orifice 6.

It will be apparent that when this device is in place with the channel S projecting inwardly from the orifice 6, the pressure indicated by the arrow b from radial directions beneath the arcuate member of the channel are deflected and prevented from interference with the discharging pressures a and c which are directed toward the open areas of the channel. Thus, the volume of fluid discharge in the direction of the axis 0 of the orifice 6 and the entrance of fluid into the open area of the channel is ena-bled to flow freely through the orifice.

As previously stated, the channel 8 should project inwardly from the orifice 6 a distance at least 50% of the diameter of the orifice, and the arc of the channel should be at least 50% of the circumference of the tube 7. However, the channel may extend inwardly a greater distance, and, in some instances, the side Walls of the channel may be substantially U-shaped with their upper extremities projecting as vertical fins instead of in an are as shown.

The accompanying drawings are purely for purposes of illustration, and obviously the principle of this invention may be embodied in any type of fluid containing chamber or system wherein the unrestricted discharge of fluid through a discharge orifice is desirable.

It may also be noted that while I have stated that the length of the channel should be at least 50% of the diameter of the orifice and its circumference at least 50% of the circumference of the orifice, these are given as preferable figures and may vary.

As shown in FIG. 5, the principle of the present invention is also adaptable to rocket orifices. In that figure, 20 represents a rocket liquid fuel tank which discharges into a combustion chamber 21 provided with an exhaust cone 22. The orifices between the liquid tank 20 and the combustion chamber 21 and between the latter and the exhaust cone 22 are provided with discharge tubes 7 which function in the same manner previously described to increase the flow of exhaust gases and, consequently, the thrust for driving the rocket.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art without further description, it being borne in mind that numerous changes may be made in the details disclosed 3 without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

11. A pressure compensating device for the discharge orifice in a wall of a fluid containing chamber, comprising an open-ended pressure deflecting channel of substantially arcuate shape in cross-section, one open end of said channel communicating with said orifice and its opposite open end being directed into said chamber, the longitudinal edges of said channel terminating in a plane which radially intersects the boundary of said orifice at substantially its mid point, which, together with said projecting open end, provides contiguous open areas in said channel, communicating with said orifice, whereby the radial pressures of the fiuid adjacent said orifice in directions opposed to the open areas of said channel are deflected, and the restriction of flow through said orifice is minimized.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said channel extends inward of said orifice at least 50% of the distance of the diameter of the latter,

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arc of said channel is at least 50% of the circumference of said orifice.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,163,382 6/1939 Noble 13840 2,335,694 11/1943 Paquin et al. 137590 2,670,011 2/1954 Bertin et a1 13844 2,803,962 8/1957 Quest 138-44 2,042,266 7/1962 Mies 222382 3,088,679 5/1963 Ford 239434 3,207,176 9/1965 Elias 137590 M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner.

W. R. CLINE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PRESSURE COMPENSATING DEVICE FOR THE DISCHARGE ORIFICE IN A WALL OF A FLUID CONTAINING CHAMBER, COMPRISING AN OPEN-ENDED PRESSURE DEFLECTING CHANNEL OF SUBSTANTIALLY ARCUATE SHAPE IN CROSS-SECTION, ONE OPEN END OF SAID CHANNEL COMMUNICATING WITH SAID ORIFICE AND ITS OPPOSITE OPEN END BEING DIRECTED INTO SAID CHAMBER, THE LONGITUDINAL EDGES OF SAID CHANNEL TERMINATING IN A PLANE WHICH RADIALLY INTERSECTS THE BOUNDARY OF SAID ORIFICE AT SUBSTANTIALLY ITS MID POINT, WHICH, TOGETHER WITH SAID PROJECTING OPEN END, PROVIDES CONTIGUOUS OPEN AREAS IN SAID CHANNEL, COMMUNICATING WITH SAID ORIFICE, WHEREBY THE RADIAL PRESSURES OF THE FLUID ADJACENT SAID ORIFICE IN DIRECTIONS OPPOSED TO THE OPEN AREAS OF SAID CHANNEL ARE DEFLECTED, AND THE RESTRICTION OF FLOW THROUGH SAID ORIFICE IS MINIMIZED. 